And william a



(No Model.)

W. M00. & W. A. WHITE.

APPARATUS FOR PLAUING RAILROAD TORPEDOES.

Patented Nov.29,1881.

m m'Z'fieJJeJ Z0 Jzjqlwillre of .IWZZZ/ M a a. 772 m4 -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALLACE MOO. WHITE, OF .BURLINGTON, IOWA, AND WILLIAM A. WHITE,

' OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR PLACING RAILROAD-TO RPEDOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,179, dated November 29, 1881.

Application filed October2f2,1880. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that we, WALLACE M00. WHITE and WILLIAM A. WHITE, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, and at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful apparatus for placing, holding in place, and holding to the rails when placed thereon, railroad-torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the manner of handling railroad-torpedoes and holding them in a handle ready for use, by means of which they can be attached to the rail from the rear end of the train or car while the same is moving; and it consists of a handle with springs and protectors attached.

The objects of our invention are, first, to provide a handle in which the torpedo can be placed ready for use at any time, and by means of which they can be readily attached to the rail and firmly held thereto by means of springs attached to the torpedo; and, second, to provide an apparatus by which such torpedoes may be placed on the rail from the rear end of a train or car while moving, thus avoiding the necessity of stopping the train for that purpose, whereby a great saving both of time and expense will result therefrom. We attain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail with our improvementapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a reverse-plan view ofour improvement. Figs. 3 and 4 are side views thereof, and Fig. 5 shows a torpedo attached to the rail after the bandle has been withdrawn therefrom.

. Similar letters refer to similar parts th roughout the several views.

To the torpedo D are attached two (2) metal springs, E E, on each side thereof, which extend below the torpedo and so curved and shapedas to holdit firmly to the rail when once placed" thereon, and to prevent it from becoming detached from the rail after itis placed thereon and while it is being disconnected from the handle, as shown in Figs. 5 and 1.

The handle Ois constructed of wood or other material of convenient length and size, depending upon the circumstances under which it is to be used and the size of the torpedo used. To the lower end of said handle 0, and on each side thereof, are attached two (2) metal springs, B B, each extending below or projecting beyond the end of the handle a sufficient distance to hold the torpedo between them and firmly against the end of the handle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On the outside of these two (2) metal springs B B are placed two (2) metal protectors, F F, to prevent their striking the rail when placing the torpedo on the rail. Between the two springsB B and theprotectors F F, on each side of the handle, are also attached two (2) metal protectors, AA, so constructed as to allow the springs E E, attached to the torpedoes, to move in the open space in each protector, as shown in Fig. 1, and also for the purpose of preventing the springsBB, attached to the handle, and the springsEE, attached to the torpedo, from becoming injured by accidentally comingin contact with the rail while the torpedo is being attached to it, and also to prevent the torpedo from being disconnected from the haudle while not in use and while it is being attached to the rail. Said protectors A A and F F are also so constructed as to prevent the torpedo from striking the rail and being exploded while being attached thereto.

Around the handle, and on the outside of the protectors A A and F F and the springs B B, is placed a band or ferrule, G, a similar band or ferrule, H, embracing the same parts, except F F, all for the purpose of holding them more firmly to the lower end of the handle. They are for no other purpose, and may not be found to be necessary for that purpose.

We are aware that it is not new to provide a torpedo with a spring to attach it to the rail, as shown, and also that we are not the first to provide a device whereby torpedoes may be placed on the rails of a road while the train springs B B, and guards F F, of the ferrules is in motion; hence we make no broad claim or hands G H,'substantially as set forth.

to these features; but WALLACE MGO. WHITE.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure WILLIAM A. WHITE. 5 by Letters Patent, is Witnesses as to signature of W.McG. White:

1. The combination, with a handle, (J, of G. O. SHEPARD, the springs B B, and guards A A and F I, L. O. GODDARD. constructed and arranged as and for the pur- Witnesses as to signature of Wm. A.White: pose set forth. J N0. BURNS,

IO 2. The combination, with the handle 0, the W. S. REARIOK. 

